Swarm of Rage
Drink of the Night The Drink (Mojito-ish substance, base is a pineapple cinnamon mojito with blue agave nectar to sweeten it) Announcements * Trying to get 100 subs on the youtube to get a custom url Story * Amalthea and Camille are entering the area of the Tree of Reflection. There is an almost crystalline fog as she breathes. Camille still has her purple-ish glow about her. She sees an incorporeal form which begins to materialize and waits. Amalthea waits, after about 15 minutes, the figure begins to circulate, taking off her hood, revealing Amalthea's face, but from about 10 years ago with daggers at her side, darker and tattered clothing, reflecting the time in her life when she was doing more of the criminal life. Camille just watches * The figure asks Amalthea if she remembers her, she does. She asks what she has become, she says "Stronger". They talk about how she has not discussed it with her friends, what she thinks that she has lost. Amalthea introduces Camille to this younger version of herself. The version of her asks why she has come here, what it is she wishes to reflect on. She says that she didn't know what to expect, maybe what she wants is for her to forgive her. The spirit tells her to reflect upon her life, those she has lost, the ones she thinks that she may have lost but are still here. * The spirit backs up, her form changing into an older human woman, she walks with a bit of a hunch. She says that she has never laid eyes on Amalthea, but she stands here since there is no one else in her lineage to talk to her, this is her grandmother on her father's side. She does not know where her son is, but he is not dead. She says that he, too, liked to run with wolves. Amalthea asks that name of her father, as her mother never told her, the spirit moves her lips, but she only feels it, she hears no words * Amalthea leaves the cave into the night time air, seeing barbarians leaving for home or sleeping on tables * Jingles begins to head into the cave, but jumps behind another tree as Hyllenae begins to enter. Amalthea sees Hyllenae going into the cave and asks her if she is going to see the tree place. Hyllenae enters the cave and sees what looks like fireflies on the leafless tree. She kneels down to pray, but she seems a shimmer and a figure, about 8-8.5 feet tall stands there, dressed in the regalia of the Athenea. She waits 15 minutes for the individual to speak. He asks why she has come here, she says it was curiosity, he says that she is looking for direction or guidance, she says she is also looking for answers to why she neever fit in, he asks why she wants to, "Because being adrift is too painful.", she asks who he is, and he replies that he is Herotis, one of her ancestors. She asks what she needs to be in this world, he tells her that perhaps she already is, she is a leader, her friends look to her for guidance. She says that she does not feel confident enough to lead, he said that he didn't either, but after a while you simply must. The figure disappears, she goes up to the tree, places her hand on it, and thanks the spirit. * Jingles sees Hyllenae exit. He then slips inside the cave. He casts Detect Magic again, and the whole area glows brightly. He drops the spell so he doesn't get a migraine, he goes up to the tree to examine it, it is a dark wood, mostly devoid of bark, he whispers "what are you?" and hears a sounds like leaves around him, they begin to coalesce around something, in an almost animal form, but with the face of a human with large antlers and shard teeth and hair and large forearms, the eyes glow with a blueish color. The creature says that it cared for him when he was in the woods. He asks the creature to tell him something it wouldn't know if it were an illusion, it tells him that he has no mother, no father, he was born from the forest, willed into being. He walks around the creature, it sits down and its head follows him as he walks around it. He asks if the spirit has been watching him the whole time, it says only in his youth, he asks why it stopped, it replies that it died, that spirits fade. He says that he came into the cave to find answers, it asks what he wants to know, he asks what magic is at work here, it says the magic that his ancestors used, that he chose the form, they do not call it magic though, more just power. He pulls out the bluestone, saying that he has one final question, its eyes widen and looks at the stone, it says that it is the same magic that brought him into existence, that flows through him. He asks if he will see this creature again, it says probably not as it fades away. Jingles sees the bluestone glowing faintly, and takes it closer to the tree, but it does not react, the light in the stone begins to fade as he walks out of the cave. He remembers it was secret, so he tries to stealth out of the cave * Dawnash, after realizing he had a change with Granny, is still drinking The Drink he is curious about the cave. Amalthea makes her way back to Dawnash. They talk about her experience at the tree, seeing her younger self and her grandmother. She says that she is using her nonchalance to cover not knowing what has really happened yet. Dawnash reveals that he does not know his father either, his mother was a general, a great warrior who left and came back pregnant with him, she avoided the conversation. After Amalthea leaves to go to sleep, he heads towards the cave, but not entering. He slowly walks into the cave, hearing something, then getting something on his face, realizing it is a spider web and hearing screams and a village burning, he backs out of the cave,not looking back * (Break 1) * Everyone turns in for the night. Jingles looks for Trixie, but cannot find her. Jingles draws the creature that he saw. Grantham went to find Morbarom, but could not, so she went back to her own tent, had a mini cask of The Drink, and went to bed * Everyone wakes up to people at the looms making blankets and the smell of last night's leftovers, Amalthea thinks about the spirit last night and thinks it mouthed "Nathaniel". Granny is splitting logs. Dawnash goes over to Granny and asks if she partook in "all" of the sections of the festival. He says that he will need to come back again. Amalthea wanders up, Granny calls her Wolf Lady Champion. Granny asks her if she was one that went to visit the reflection tree. Granny tells of her experience with the reflection tree, battling her ancestor, and learning to harness her rage within. Granny says that the tree will let you know if it does not want you to come near it. Some people are getting some morning drink, some hair of the dog, similar to Mimosas. * Dawnash wants to stay, Amalthea says that they have a mission and she wants his help finding her dad, telling him his name * Morbarom talks about his problem with Mog, he is stronger and dominant, but he wants to be on top. Dawnash and Amalthea suggest he should be more communicative. Challenge him to a friendly bout of wrestling, push his buttons, and it may lead to a passionate night. They talk a little about the Keep of Zetona * Trixie goes to the tent that Jingles passed out in surrounded by his drawings of the creature from the night before. She looks at his picture until he wakes up. They talk about Jingles' experience in the cave, Trixie chalks it up to the drink. Jingles tells everyone of his and Trixie's talking with Dracol the day before, Granny informs them that he was a general. The gate of Zentona is on the Western edge, acting as the first step of a back entrance to Masthead. They further discuss the people posing as barbarians and trying to frame them and that there may be forces that would work to sow chaos and may be reckless enough to place the lives of their own citizens on the line. Granny says that if there is another tribe using their symbol, she is sorry for them. They discuss what they want to do with the people at the keep, whether to observe from afar or just go in and murder them all and let the land decide * Hyllenae uses her Sending Stone to talk with Shalia and tell her that the barbarians have not attacked the keep, she is told to try to break the ranks and talk with the commander there, Ozabren. She goes back to the party, tells them what she heard and that they should do a recon mission to begin with * Grantham asks if they need an supplies, Jingles says that they would probably know better what they may need. Morbarom says they will get them supplies and waterskins and bring a hawk, Lelu, with them to send a message back if they need to * The party gets pelts and waterskins * Trixie names her cat Princess, since she can't call it Fluffy * Dawnash comes back with pelts and wearing a skull of one of the animals that was slain * They travel and Grantham sees a Death Worm laying on top of a sand dune, thinking it weird since that is not how they act, they are always on the move and are not smart enough to deceive. This Death Worm is a dark, deep red. Its skin seems to be vibrating slightly. Large swarms of Hell Wasps emerge from the corpse * (Break 2) * Initiative ** Trixie tries to Hex the wasps that she can giving it Disadvantage on Wisdom checks and blasting with Eldritch Blast, hitting with the second bolt ** Grantham rages and tosses 3 throwing axes at the swarm, hitting with the last two ** Morbarom rages as well and his body hair gets thicker, rushes forward to the swarm Trixie hit and swings at it, hitting with the second attack ** Hyllenae dashes 40 feet to the side, readies her shield and mace, and waits to see if they attack her ** Amalthea casts Hunter's Mark on one of the swarm and goes up, hoping to use her pelt as an improvised weapon ** Dawnash take out his lute, screams and runs forward up to one of the swarms, casts a power chord, and casts Thunderwave ** Jingles is caught off guard by Dawnash's spell, moves forward a bit, pulls out his rapier, and starts his bladesong ** The swarms begin moving, triggering attacks from Hyllenae and Amalthea. Camille bites at the swarm as well, then attack Dawnash who feels the venom in his veins now. Morbarom and Amalthea take attacks as well ** Trixie casts Eldritch Blast again, hitting with both ** Grantham picks Dawnash up and uses him as a weapon, then he is tossed back and flips to his feet as he lands ** Hyllenae misses her attacks ** Dorian moves up ** Amalthea notices that her fur cape attack doesn't work, and switches to the scimitar and makes her off hand attack with the Ice Dagger. Camille makes another bite ** Dawnash calls to Jingles about a Fireball, but he can't cast it yet, so he is told to go to the left of Dorian ** Jingles casts a 3rd level Burning Hands to light Dawnash's torches and hit the swarms ** Dawnash, with his now lit torches, goes to hit the swarms ** The swarms attack again, going after Granny, Dawnash, Hyllenae, and Morbarom ** Dorian misses his attack ** Trixie pops out and fires off her Eldritch Blasts, destroying one of the swarms, then hides ** Grantham takes out her fire axe, grabs one of the torches from Dawnash and goes "Medieval" on them ** Hyllenae attacks the swarm again, missing on the first, but hitting on the second, casting Searing Smite on the hit ** Amalthea misses with her first attack, but hits with her ice dagger. Camille takes a bite, but misses ** Dawnash inspires Granny ** Jingles goes around the side towards the Death Worm corpse, looking for bones, but finds the queen instead ** Dorian looks about who needs healing ** Trixie attacks the queen ** Grantham attacks three times, but misses the first two, killing one swarm ** Hyllenae hits, casting Divine Smite on impact ** Amalthea attacks twice and hits with both attacks, Camille bites again ** Dawnash gets attacked as he walks away, poisoned ** Jingles drops his last 3rd level spell slot to cast Catapult and Twin it, destroying one of the swarms and hitting the queen as well ** The swarm attacks Hyllenae and Grantham ** Dorian moves up, hits one of the swarms ** Trixie steps to the side and attacks the queen, killing it with the first blast and moves her hex as a bonus action ** The swarms see if they stay, one of them stays, the other flies away, provoking attacks of opportunity from Dorian and Hyllenae ** Grantham misses with her last two attacks, but hits with the first ** Morbarom runs up and attacks twice, hitting with the second ** Hyllenae attacks again, thinning the swarm even more ** Amalthea attacks once more ** Dawnash make a con check, not doing great ** Jingles takes an attack on the swarm with no resolve with a fire bolt ** Granny rolls against poison damage ** Dorian runs over to Dawnash, casting Lesser Restoration on him to cure him of poison and paralysis ** Trixie misses the swarm with her Eldritch Blasts ** Grantham swings at the swarm again ** Dawnash gets up and tries to headbutt Dorian, but misses, he then goes for a flurry of blows and makes two more attacks against him ** Amalthea grabs Dawnash, who just about has steam coming out of his nose and headbutts her as well ** Jingles breaks off some bone from the corpse and asks Granny if this is something that happens from the wasps or just Dawnash. She says that if exposed to the poison for too long it can screw with someone's mind ** Jingles walks down the sand dune towards Dawnash and says to knock him unconscious or he will ** Trixie speaks into Dawnash's mind to tell him to wake up, but nothing happens ** Grantham goes up to Dawnash to help hold him down, she whispers in his ear to control the rage and be one with it, that it is him ** Morbarom headbutts him to knock him unconscious and succeeds. He stands up and apologizes for having to do that * Trixie suggests that they take a small rest, Morbarom agrees that they can stay, so long as they don't get attacked again * Jingles goes over to Dawnash and binds his hands and legs with his handcuffs and manacles * The party takes a short rest * Dawnash is laid on the ground, Hyllenae goes over to him and places her hands on his head and casts Augury to see what what happened. She feels the immense pain of loss * Dawnash wakes up and begins to cry, Hyllenae and Amalthea go over to comfort him * The party makes their way to the Gazoni steps, travelling through it for hours, then they make it through and see a large army flying the flag of the tribe * Hyllenae asks Morbarom to send the Falcon back and asks Trixie if she would be ok stealthing forward to see what it is going on. Granny says that all that they see here will die * Morbarom and Granny will go back to their tribe and tell them what is happening. Granny tells Dawnash that he will learn from the rage and that it is a fire that teaches them all Characters * Herotis - one of Hyllenae's ancestors * High Captain Ozabren - the commander at the Keep of Zentona * Princess - Trixie's cat Quotations "Friend or foe?!" Jingles, "Friend" Creature, "Insight check! I don't trust this creature *rolls die* I believe this creature." Adam, Episode 23 @ 42:05 "Go to your tent and think of Ada." Amalthea, Episode 23 @ 58:30 "If it's broke, don't fix it, just walk away." Amalthea, Episode 23 @ 1:40:41 "I don't believe you, but I appreciate and expect nothing less." Dawnash, Episode 23 @ 1:49:23 "Your magic user is not as entertaining when he is clothed." Grantham, Episode 23 @ 1:54:23